Double-sided bar code doubling as a single bar code

Abstract

A bar code including a first linear bar code portion, and portions with two-dimensional bar codes at the ends of the first bar code portion. A separation through the first portion. The two-dimensional bar code at each end is inverted from the other end, and in an embodiment is also rotated 180°, which enable the two-dimensional bar codes on separated parts of the single bar code to be identical.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bar code comprising:
 a first bar code portion providing first information, the first bar code portion having opposite ends; 
 a first section of a second bar code portion providing second information and disposed at the first end of the first bar code portion; a second section of the second bar code portion disposed at the second end of the first bar code portion and also providing the second information, wherein the first and second sections of the second bar code portion provide identical second information; 
 wherein the bar code is imprinted on a surface and the surface includes a separation region across the first bar code portion, such that the surface on which the bar code is imprinted may be separated at the separation region to separate the bar code into first and second parts, each part including some of the first section of the first bar code portion and a respective one of the sections of the second bar code portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The bar code of  claim 1 , wherein the bar code has a designated application and the first information on the bar code first portion is of a length between the opposite ends of the first bar code portion that is greater than the length of the first bar code information that is required for reading the first bar code information in the designated application, the length of the first information between the ends of the first bar code portion being selected so that upon separation of the surface on which the bar code is imprinted into the first and second parts, the length of the first bar code information on each of the first and second parts measured from a respective one of the first and second ends to the separation region is sufficient that in the designated application, the first information of the bar code can be read and the second information on each of the first and second parts of the surface can be read. 
     
     
       3. The bar code of  claim 1 , wherein the first information is linear bar code information extending between the first and second ends of the first portion of the bar code. 
     
     
       4. The bar code of  claim 3 , wherein the second bar code information is two-dimensional bar code information and differs from the linear bar code information in the first bar code portion. 
     
     
       5. The bar code of  claim 1 , wherein the second bar code information is two-dimensional bar code information and differs from the linear bar code information in the first bar code portion. 
     
     
       6. The bar code of  claim 1 , wherein the second information at the first end of the first bar code portion is upright in one orientation and the second information at the second end of the first bar code portion is inverted from the orientation of the second information at the first end of the first bar code portion. 
     
     
       7. The bar code of  claim 6 , wherein the information at the second end of the first bar code portion is additionally rotated 180° from the second information at the other end of the first bar code portion. 
     
     
       8. A bar code comprising:
 a first bar code portion providing first information, the first bar code portion having opposite ends; 
 a first section of a second bar code portion providing second information and disposed at the first end of the first bar code portion; a second section of the second bar code portion disposed at the second end of the first bar code portion and also providing the second information, wherein the first and second sections of the second bar code portion provide identical second information; 
 wherein the second information at the first end of the first bar code portion is upright in one orientation and the second information at the second end of the first bar code portion is inverted from the orientation of the second information at the first end of the first bar code portion. 
 
     
     
       9. A bar code comprising:
 a first bar code portion providing first information, the first bar code portion having opposite ends; 
 a first section of a second bar code portion providing second information and disposed at the first end of the first bar code portion; a second section of the second bar code portion disposed at the second end of the first bar code portion and also providing the second information, wherein the first and second sections of the second bar code portion provide identical second information; 
 wherein the information at the one end of the first bar code first portion is additionally rotated 180° from the second information at the other end of the first bar code portion.